Madshus News

The elite skiers have already started the 2017 training season, making this a great time to look back at the 2016 achievements. And what a season it was for the Madshus racers!

Taking a look at some of the major highlights from the season, there is a lot to celebrate in the 2015-16 season. Just take a look at a random week in February: Dominating four sports

The king of Biathlon, Ole Einar Bjørndalen, opened the IBU World Cup season with a podium at the first possible opportunity, in Östersund (SWE) the first week of December. But he reigned the grounds at the 2016 Holmenkollen World Championships, earning no less than four medals on home turf: gold in the relay, silver in the sprint and the pursuit and bronze in the mass start. At 42 years old. He now has over 40 World Championship medals, and he is not retiring any time soon, said the father to be, who is expecting a daughter in October.

In the Ski Classics, Madshus Marathon racer John Kristian Dahl (NOR) won both the 90-kilometer Vasaloppet in Sweden on March 6, and the 54-kilometer Birkebeinerrennet in Norway on March 19. In doing so, he made history: He was the first Norwegian and only the second racer to ever do so in the 93-year-long legacy of the Vasaloppet. The last to win both races back to back in the same season was Sven-Åke Lundbäck back in 1981.

Two weeks later, Dahl was second in Årefjällsloppet on April 2, which was the Ski Classic Final. The Dahl capped the long-distance season with winning the world’s longest cross-country race: The 200-kilometer Nordenskiöldsloppet in Sweden, the longest ski marathon in the world, in 8 hours 35 minutes and 17 seconds.

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John Kristian Dahl (NOR) won Vasaloppet on March 6, then he won the Birkebeinerrennet on March 21, and is one of only 2 racers to win both in the same season. Photo: Ulf Palm

Also, Madshus Marathon racers Stian Hoelgaard (NOR) and Emilia Lindstedt (SWE) won the Ski Classic Youth bibs, awarded to the best racers age 26 and under.

Even in a year without any major championships for the FIS cross-country and Nordic Combined, Madshus racers, still brought home an impressive number of podium finishes. The highlights were many and bright, but Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (NOR) and Heidi Weng (NOR) really dominated the FIS World Cup this season. The duo brought in podium finishes and victories both in the Tour de Ski in January and the brand new Ski Tour Canada as well as the regular World Cup schedule, in sprints as well as distance races.

In Nordic Combined, World Cup rookie Jarl Riiber (NOR) showed no respect for the established elite. He cleaned up the hardware at the 2015 FIS Junior World Championships in Kazakhstan taking home two individual gold medals and bronze in the team competition, and became a permanent member of the Norwegian World Cup team for the 2015-16 season. The 18-year-old stepped up to the challenge. He opened the season by winning the Norwegian national championships in November, and delivered podium finishes on the World Cup throughout the season.

Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR) won four medals during the 2016 IBU World Championships on home turf in Oslo. Photo: Nordic Focus

Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR) keeps racing through the 2018 Olympic season and is becoming a dad.

The King of Biathlon announced today that he is both continuing his career for at least two more years to and he is also becoming a father, expecting a baby with Ukraine biathlete Daria Domratcheva in October. Bjørndalen announced both today at a press conference in Oslo (NOR).

“I look forward to start a new season. The reason I’m continuing is that I am extremely motivated, just as motivated as when I was 20 years old,” Bjørndalen said.

“A lot of media and experts said I should quit while ahead, but its really not a topic for me. Both in 2012 and 2013 I had really tough seasons. I didn’t listen to them, and kept pushing,” Bjørndalen said.

“We are very happy that Ole Einar has decided to continue his career. His experience is of course very valuable to us and the Norwegian national team. At the same time, we are constantly impressed that Ole Einar stays motivated to pursue two more years and pushing the limits and chasing gold,” says Morten Aa Djupvik, Norwegian national team director.

Madshus is excited that Bjørndalen has decided to continue his career, and congratulating the couple on the expected addition to the family.

Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR) won four medals during the 2016 IBU World Championships on home turf in Oslo. Photo: Nordic Focus

The 2016 IBU World Championships was a Madshus podium party. Let us count the ways:

On the first day of the competition, Thursday March 3, Anaïs Bescond helped France to gold in the mixed relay, while Marte Olsbu helped Norway to silver.

Next up: the sprint on Saturday, March 5. On his first appearance at the 2016 IBU World Championships, Ole Einar Bjørndalen earned himself a medal: Silver. On home turf in Holmenkollen (NOR). These championships have been his main focus for the entire season, not to mention his entire career, which to date counts 24 World Cup seasons. And in his first race he delivers. Right on schedule.

On Sunday, March 6, Bjørndalen helped himself to another silver medal, this time in the men’s 12.5km pursuit.

“That was fun. I had to at least match my age in medals before I consider myself done, but this was the most I could squeeze out of myself today,” the 42-year-old said to Norwegian broadcaster NRK after the race.

In the women’s 15km normal program on Tuesday, March 8, Bescond was back on the podium for another silver medal.

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Anais Bescond (FRA) earned three medals in Holmenkollen: gold in the mixed relay, silver in the 15km normal competition and silver in the womens relay. Photo: Nordic Focus

The women’s relay on Friday, March 11, was another big day for Madshus racers. Olsbu was given the heavy responsibility of anchoring Norway’s team. She returned the honor with gold. In front of a home crowd in Holmenkollen, globally known to be some of the loudest fans around. It was a surreal experience, Olsbu said.

The 25-year-old debuted at the 2015 World Championships in Kontiolahti (FIN) and earned her two first World Championship medals in Holmenkollen.

“This is the biggest I have ever experienced. I can’t believe it’s true,” Olsbu said after the relay, adding that she didn’t dare to look back.

“I was so scared that they would catch me. I skied for my life,” she told reporters.

But pain is soon forgotten. The rewards are so sweet.

“Today we showed that we are good enough to win gold. And we won the World Championships on home turf,” said Olsbu.

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Marte Olsbu anchored Norway to gold in the relay. Photo: Nordic Focus

The men’s relay on Saturday, March 12, was no let down either. Norway was golden again, with the same team that won the World Championships in Kontiolahti (FIN) last year. Accordingly, as defending champions the boys had a lot to fight for. And they did, but the victory was hardly handed to them on a plate. Winning the gold is one thing. But to deliver in front of a home crowd is something else entirely. For Emil Hegle Svendsen, who anchored the team to gold, the suspense leading up to hos own leg was brutal.

“The nervousness I have experienced prior to this race doesn’t compare to anything I’ve ever felt before. It was so intense,” said Svendsen, who needed the golden boost after a season that has been all over the map.

To deliver for the rest of his team and a whole nation at the World Championships on home turf is something few athletes ever have a chance to experience.

“It was so incredibly amazing to win. My whole life passed in review right there and then,” Svendsen said after his race.

The relay victory marked Svendsen’s 12th World Championship gold medal. For Bjørndalen, it was the 20th.

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Emil Hegle Svendesn was cool as a cucumber on the surface, but said the relay was the most nerve-wrecking experience in his career. Photo: Nordic Focus

Then the final day of the championships, Sunday March 13, featured the grand event of biathlon: the mass start. The head-to-head battles. The pedal to the metal. No games. Bjørndalen secures the bronze, his fourth medal in the 2016 championship.

“It was fantastic to get the bronze. I was a bit tired today, but I secured it at the range and I conserved my energy in the track because I knew it was going to be a rat race to the finish. Maybe I could have gone after it a little harder, but that would also have run the risk of really getting the hammer. I am incredibly content now. It has been a really fantastic championship, beyond all expectations,” Bjørndalen said after the mass start, which concluded the 2016 IBU World Championships in Oslo.

The 2016 IBU World Championships are history. The glory goes on. The 2017 IBU World Championships will take place in Rupholding, Germany.

Emil Hegle Svendsen on his final lap to the finish line. Photo: Nordic Focus

Ole Einar Bjørndalen (left) and Erlend Bjøntegaard helped Norway to third place in the IBU World Cup relay on Sunday. Photo: Nordic Focus

Another productive weekend for the Madshus World Cup racers, netting six podiums in one days.

Relays and Madshus racers seem to be a good combination.

First, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg and Heidi Weng helped Norway to victory in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Nove Mesto (CZE), where Østberg skied the opening leg and Weng skied the second leg in the women’s 4x5km relay. This was Norway’s tenth consecutive relay victory in the World Cup. Then Mathias Rundgreen helped Norway to first place in the men’s 4×7.5km relay at the same venue.

In the IBU Biathlon World Cup, Anaïs Bescond helped France to victory in the women’s relay on Sunday. Then later that day, Benedikt Doll helped Germany to second place in the men’s relay, where Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Erlend Bjøntegaard took Norway to third place. The IBU World Cup events were held in Anterselva (ITA) at almost 2.000 meters above sea level, which cause trouble for some athletes.

The next IBU World Cup events take place in Canmore (CAN) on February 1-7.

Ole Einar Bjørndalen opened the World Cup weekend in Pokljuka (SLO) with a second place in the sprint on Thursday. Photo: Nordic Focus

The last World Cup weekend before the holidays yielded no less than 11 podium finishes for the Madshus racers.

The biathletes were first out, opening the World Cup weekend in Pokljuka (SLO) with the men’s 10km sprint on Thursday night: Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR) wasted no time, and went straight to the podium with an impressive second place finish.

On Sunday, Bjørndalen snagged his second podium for the weekend, finishing third in the mass start, behind teammate Emil Hegle Svendsen (NOR). Super-Svendsen was just a hair from the victory in the mass start after delivering a smoking second half of the race.

The next round in the IBU World Cup is January 8-10, 2016, in Nove Mesto (CZE).

For the Nordic combined crew, the Norwegian Madshus racers dominated Saturday’s competition in Ramsau (AUT), claiming all the podium spots: Magnus Moan (NOR) won, while Magnus Krog (NOR) was second and reigning Norwegian national champion Jarl Riiber was third. On Sunday, Riiber, who is a rookie on the senior World Cup circuit this season, was back on the podium for the second day in a row, with a strong second place.

The Nordic Combined World Cup takes a break over the holidays and starts up in 2016 with two competitions in Klingethal (GER) on January 2-3.

Jarl Riiber (NOR) was third in the Nordic Combined World Cup in Ramsau (AUT) on Saturday. Photo: Nordic Focus

TheFIS cross-country World Cup moved to Toblach, Italy, for the last round of races before the 2016 Tour de Ski. On Saturday, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg posted another second place in the skate sprint. On Sunday, she was back on the podium again with a third place in the 10-kilometer classic race, just behind fellow Madshus racer Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN), who posted her first World Cup podium for the season.

“I am so excited to be on the podium. I have been waiting for this moment since the beginning of the season. I knew the energy and fitness was there, but until today I haven’t been able to show that in my results. The whole Finnish team was amazing today,” Pärmäkoski said after her race.

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Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) earned her first podium finish for the season on Sunday, with second place in the 10km classic at the World Cup in Toblach (ITA). Photo: Nordic Focus

Østberg, who has established her self as a solid distance racer this season as well as one of the best sprinters in the world, was equally excited about her third place.

“It was very tight, and great battle between me, Krista and Heidi (Weng). I lost a lot at the end of the race but I am really satisfied with third place. The season has been so great for me. I nearly cannot believe it. I’m so happy that things have worked so well for me,” said Østberg.

Also on Sunday, Alexander Bessmertnykh (RUS) skied into an impressive second place in the men’s 15-kilometer classic in Toblach.

“It is great to be back on the podium again,” said Bessmertnykh, who chose to ski with kick wax,.

While about half of the racers chose to go without on the challenging course, The Russian did not regret his decision.

“I had a very good race, and it was a good choice to go with kick wax. I had amazing skis. Our service team did a great job,” Bessmertnykh said.

The FIS World Cup resumes on January 1 with the first event of the 10-day stage race Tour de Ski, where sprint races in Lenzerheide (SUI) are the first races.